Greenland, the world's largest island, is about 79% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century, and Greenland became an integral part of the Danish Realm in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on stringent fishing quotas. Greenland remains a member of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association of the EU. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Greenland voted in favor of increased self-rule in November 2008 and acquired greater responsibility for internal affairs when the Act on Greenland Self-Government was signed into law in June 2009. Denmark, however, continues to exercise control over several policy areas on behalf of Greenland, including foreign affairs, security, and financial policy in consultation with Greenland's Self-Rule Government.

Geography :: Greenland

Location:

Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited

Natural hazards:

continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues:

especially vulnerable to climate change and disruption of the Arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note:

dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast; close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice sheet after that of Antarctica covering an area of 1.71 million sq km (660,000 sq mi) or about 79% of the island, and containing 2.85 million cu km (684 thousand cu mi) of ice (this is almost 7% of all of the world's fresh water); if all this ice were converted to liquid water, one estimate is that it would be sufficient to raise the height of the world's oceans by 7.2 m (24 ft)

This is the population pyramid for Greenland. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.

For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Median age:

total:34 years

male:35 years

female:32.9 years(2018 est.)

country comparison to the world:
89

Population growth rate:

-0.04%(2018 est.)

country comparison to the world:
200

Birth rate:

14.3 births/1,000 population(2018 est.)

country comparison to the world:
133

Death rate:

8.8 deaths/1,000 population(2018 est.)

country comparison to the world:
69

Net migration rate:

-6 migrant(s)/1,000 population(2017 est.)

country comparison to the world:
197

Population distribution:

settlement concentrated on the southwest shoreline, with limited settlements scattered along the remaining coast; interior is uninhabited

Urbanization:

urban population:86.8% of total population(2018)

rate of urbanization:0.42% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population:

18,000 NUUK (capital)
(2018)

Sex ratio:

at birth:1.05 male(s)/female(2017 est.)

0-14 years:1.03 male(s)/female(2017 est.)

15-24 years:1.02 male(s)/female(2017 est.)

25-54 years:1.1 male(s)/female(2017 est.)

55-64 years:1.26 male(s)/female(2017 est.)

65 years and over:1.15 male(s)/female(2017 est.)

total population:1.1 male(s)/female(2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total:8.7 deaths/1,000 live births(2018 est.)

male:9.9 deaths/1,000 live births(2018 est.)

female:7.4 deaths/1,000 live births(2018 est.)

country comparison to the world:
147

Life expectancy at birth:

total population:72.9 years(2018 est.)

male:70.2 years(2018 est.)

female:75.8 years(2018 est.)

country comparison to the world:
145

Total fertility rate:

1.97 children born/woman(2018 est.)

country comparison to the world:
122

Physicians density:

1.73 physicians/1,000 population(2014)

Hospital bed density:

8.2 beds/1,000 population(2015)

Drinking water source:

improved:urban:100% of population(2015 est.)

rural:100% of population(2015 est.)

total:100% of population(2015 est.)

unimproved:urban:0% of population(2015 est.)

rural:0% of population(2015 est.)

total:0% of population(2015 est.)

Sanitation facility access:

improved:urban:100% of population(2015 est.)

rural:100% of population(2015 est.)

total:100% of population(2015 est.)

unimproved:urban:0% of population(2015 est.)

rural:0% of population(2015 est.)

total:0% of population(2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Literacy:

definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
(2015 est.)

total population:100%(2015 est.)

male:100%(2015 est.)

female:100%(2015 est.)

Government :: Greenland

Country name:

conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Greenland

local long form:
none

local short form:
Kalaallit Nunaat

note: named by Norwegian adventurer Erik THORVALDSSON (Erik the Red) in A.D. 985 in order to entice settlers to the island

Dependency status:

part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979

note: Northeast Greenland National Park (Kalaallit Nunaanni Nuna Eqqissisimatitaq) and the Thule Air Base in Pituffik (in northwest Greenland) are two unincorporated areas; the national park's 972,000 sq km - about 46% of the island - makes it the largest national park in the world and also the most northerly

Independence:

none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland)

National holiday:

National Day, June 21; note - marks the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere

note: 2 representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament on 18 June 2015 (next to be held by June 2019); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - IA 1, S 1

Judicial branch:

highest courts:
High Court of Greenland (consists of the presiding professional judge and 2 lay assessors); note - appeals beyond the High Court of Greenland can be heard by the Supreme Court (in Copenhagen)

judge selection and term of office:
judges appointed by the monarch upon the recommendation of the Judicial Appointments Council, a 6-member independent body of judges and lawyers; judges appointed for life with retirement at age 70

subordinate courts:
Court of Greenland; 18 district or magistrates' courts

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark): note - Greenland has an office in the Danish Embassy to the US; it also has offices in the Danish consulates of Chicago and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white; the design represents the sun reflecting off a field of ice; the colors are the same as those of the Danish flag and symbolize Greenland's links to the Kingdom of Denmark

note: adopted 1916; the government also recognizes "Nuna asiilasooq" as a secondary anthem

Economy :: Greenland

Economy - overview:

Greenland’s economy depends on exports of shrimp and fish, and on a substantial subsidy from the Danish Government. Fish account for over 90% of its exports, subjecting the economy to price fluctuations. The subsidy from the Danish Government is budgeted to be about $535 million in 2017, more than 50% of government revenues, and 25% of GDP.

The economy is expanding after a period of decline. The economy contracted between 2012 and 2014, grew by 1.7% in 2015 and by 7.7%in 2016. The expansion has been driven by larger quotas for shrimp, the predominant Greenlandic export, and also by increased activity in the construction sector, especially in Nuuk, the capital. Private consumption and tourism also are contributing to GDP growth more than in previous years. Tourism in Greenland grew annually around 20% in 2015 and 2016, largely a result of increasing numbers of cruise lines now operating in Greenland's western and southern waters during the peak summer tourism season.

The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays a dominant role in Greenland's economy. During the last decade the Greenland Self Rule Government pursued conservative fiscal and monetary policies, but public pressure has increased for better schools, health care, and retirement systems. The budget was in deficit in 2014 and 2016, but public debt remains low at about 5% of GDP. The government plans a balanced budget for the 2017–20 period.

Significant challenges face the island, including low levels of qualified labor, geographic dispersion, lack of industry diversification, the long-term sustainability of the public budget, and a declining population due to emigration. Hydrocarbon exploration has ceased with declining oil prices. The island has potential for natural resource exploitation with rare-earth, uranium, and iron ore mineral projects proposed, but a lack of infrastructure hinders development.

general assessment:
adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables, and microwave radio relay; totally digital since 1995
(2015)

domestic:
microwave radio relay and satellite; the fundamental telecommunications infrastructure consists of a digital radio link from Nanortalik in south Greenland to Uummannaq in north Greenland; satellites cover north and east Greenland for domestic and foreign telecommunications; a marine cable connects south and west Greenland to the rest of the world, extending from Nuuk and Qaqortoq to Canada and Iceland
(2015)

the Greenland Broadcasting Company provides public radio and TV services throughout the island with a broadcast station and a series of repeaters; a few private local TV and radio stations; Danish public radio rebroadcasts are available
(2015)

Internet country code:

.gl

Internet users:

total:39,544(July 2016 est.)

percent of population:68.5%(July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world:
199

Transportation :: Greenland

National air transport system:

number of registered air carriers:1(registered in Denmark)(2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:8(registered in Denmark)(2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:

OY-H
(2016)

Airports:

15(2013)

country comparison to the world:
146

Airports - with paved runways:

total:10(2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m:2(2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m:1(2017)

914 to 1,523 m:1(2017)

under 914 m:6(2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total:5(2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m:1(2013)

914 to 1,523 m:2(2013)

under 914 m:2(2013)

Roadways:

note: although there are short roads in towns, there are no roads between towns; inter-urban transport is either by sea or by air

Merchant marine:

total:8(2017)

by type:
general cargo 1, other 7
(2017)

country comparison to the world:
157

Ports and terminals:

major seaport(s):
Sisimiut

Military and Security :: Greenland

Military branches:

no regular military forces or conscription; the Government of Denmark has responsibility for defense; as such the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for territorial defense of Greenland
(2016)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues :: Greenland

Disputes - international:

managed dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and GreenlandDenmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission